4/5 stars

Foster the People captivated the attention of millions with its release of the track “Pumped Up Kicks” from the album “Torches” in 2010. The politically themed track, with pulsating hook and rhythmic chorus, catapulted the band into the stratosphere. While obviously it would be difficult to replicate the same success from its first album, its sophomore album, ‘Supermodel” seamlessly solidifies a distinctive niche for the band.

“Supermodel” is a creative mesh of guitar riffs, electronic sounds and rhythmic beats. There is no single description in which one can describe the type of album that Foster the People have created. The album delves into a range of genres, from indie-pop to rock to disco. Despite the diverging sounds explored in this album, though not explicitly, “Supermodel” creates a cohesive story telling the inner workings of the life of a supermodel. While the supermodel in question changes as the album proceeds (at times, the supermodel is Foster the People, and sometimes it is the listener), there is a continuous seize-the-day theme intertwined in many of the songs.

The most radio-worthy song on the album is clearly the single “Coming of Age.” The track recreates the feelings generated when Ferris Bueller decided to cut school or say, when a model first began to land substantial shoots. This powerful ‘80s throwback has just the right amount of funky bass, synth and strong pulsating beat to become a spring to summer jam. Another standout track is “Pseudologia Fantastica.” This is not because it is particularly better than any other song on the album; in fact, the track would not suit many Foster the People fans. While it echoes the same carpe diem sentiments  as “Nevermind” and “Ask Yourself,” the psychedelic and otherworldly sound of the track creates an isolated place for itself in the album.

“Best Friend” is one of the few standout tracks that does not clearly correlate to the supermodel theme, though one can arguably apply the sentiment of the track to the theme. While the narrator tells the provocative story of his friends tripping on drugs, there is also levity simultaneously created by the light tambourines and melody reminiscent of ‘70s disco. One of the last tracks, “The Truth,” reminds the listener of what first established Foster the People as a band to watch. Though not a political commentary, it can definitely be seen as a commentary on society.

Connecting it to the supermodel theme, the track reminds the model in question not to let the facade of the world overtake who she truly is. On a larger scale, it tells of the issues of an individual looking for truth in a hopeless world.; the track states, “There is a truth, there is a lie/ If you needed my hand, the world is so broken.”

Ultimately, “Supermodel” establishes Foster the People as a band that can maintain its success even after a widely successful freshman album. If “Torches” was the appetizer that gave fans an inkling of the band’s persona and “Supermodel” is the enjoyable concoction of diverse genres and themes that offers fans the full entree that is Foster the People.